The best city hikes and walks around Lake Ghirla

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Cool oasis in the shade of the alders

Torre del Robbioni in Varese from 1846 The tower, closed for decades, is being restored and reopened thanks to the regional tender of the cult city. The intervention involves the rehabilitation and restoration of the elegant 1846 lookout tower by Carlo Pellegrini Robbioni, closed for decades and not open to the public. The Robbioni Tower is located at the lateral end of the hill of the Estensi Gardens, in an elevated position on a small hill behind Villa Mirabello. The restoration of the tower and the redevelopment of the area "former eighteenth-century theater" is part of the Lombardy Region's "Year of Lombardy Tourism and the Capitals of Art - Cult City Project" initiative, in which the Municipality of Varese has participated with the project "The lookout points of the garden city of Varese, discovering new landscapes, art and culture". Thanks to the municipality's participation in this tender, the restoration costs of 150 thousand euros will be financed 50% by the regional Cult City project. Text / Source: Varesepolis local supplement of the online newspaper Polisnews https://www.varesepolis.it/torre-del-robbioni-a-varese-restauro-e-riapertura-47251.html

Villa Mirabello in Varese Archaeological Museum of Villa Mirabello Located in the Estensi Gardens, Villa Mirabello owes its name to the hill from which you can enjoy a splendid view of Lake Varese and the Alps. The villa, built in the 18th century by Count Gaetano Stampa di Soncino, then became the property of Luigi Taccioli and was substantially rebuilt in 1839 with the construction of a stable, then passed to the Marquis Litta Modignani. Since 1948 it has been owned by the municipal administration and today houses the Archaeological Museum of Varese and a Risorgimento section. Due to the richness and importance of the materials, the museum has been an essential point of reference for Italian and foreign scholars of prehistory, but also for the general public and schools. The collection of the Archaeological Museum comes from the collection of the Patrio Museum, which has been enriched and strengthened in the archaeological part thanks to the numerous finds from the area and from the excavation and research campaigns of the pile-dwelling settlement of Isolino Virginia and the site of Bodio Centrale, both included in the UNESCO serial "Prehistoric Pile-Dwelling Sites of the Alps". The Isolino Virginia is internationally known for its oldest dating among the pile-dwelling settlements in the Alps and for the duration of its human presence, which lasted for more than four thousand years, until the end of the Bronze Age (from 5,300 to 900 years BC). The finds from the pre-Roman period illustrate the Celtic culture of Golasecca (IX-IV century BC) that marked western Lombardy during the Iron Age: admire some of the oldest writings in the area, preserved on a ceramic cup from Sesto Calende and on a funerary stele from Vergiate, and the spectacular funerary equipment that accompanied the millennial sleep of a warrior buried in Sesto Calende in the sixth century BC. ………………….. Text / Source: Comune di Varese museivarese.it https://www.museivarese.it/sedi/villa-mirabello/

Estensi Gardens and the Palazzo Comunale in Varese The Estensi Gardens and the Palazzo Comunale are located in the center of Varese. THE PALACE In 1766, the Duke of Modena, Francesco III d'Este, Captain General and Governor of Austrian Lombardy, decided to buy the residence located on the outskirts of the village for his holidays. Varese had been enfeoffed to him in a personal capacity with civil and judicial powers by Maria Theresa of Austria on 23 June 1765. Immediately after the acquisition, Francesco III began to expand the property by annexing the neighboring property. The renovation and construction lasted from 1766 to 1773, while the garden was completed in 1771. The architect Giuseppe Antonio Bianchi was in charge of the project and directed the works, including the design of the hill that became known as Castellazzo Flat to create the gardens. The palace consists of a central nucleus with two side wings connected by the underlying portico, which houses a stone cutter. The long façade on Via Sacco is equipped with three stone portals and balconies. Entering through the main portal, which leads into the central portico and the courtyard of honor, you pass from the austerity of the external façade to the internal façade, which is lively and overlooks the picturesque garden. The interior of the palace is an example of the so-called Teresian Baroque. The Hall of Honor (or Salone Estense) is full of precious elements such as the illusionistic frescoes by Lodovico Bosellini and the central medallion by Giovan Battista Ronchelli. Going up to the first floor, along the staircase of honor, there are four niches with eighteenth-century copies of female busts and putti with stucco lamps. ……….. Text / Source: FAI - FONDO PER L'AMBIENTE ITALIANO ETS - Via Carlo Foldi, 2 - 20135 Milan https://fondoambiente.it/luoghi/giardini-estensi?ldc

Laghetto dei cigni / Swan Pond in the Giardini e Palazzo Estensi in Varese The history of Palazzo Estense and its beautiful gardens was born thanks to a real love at first sight. It is said, in fact, that Francesco III d'Este, Duke of Modena and governor of Austrian Lombardy, fell so much in love with the beauty of Varese that he requested it as a fief from Maria Theresa of Austria. From then on it is history: the Duke bought the villa, now known as Palazzo Estense, and entrusted its restoration to the architect Bianchi, making it his summer residence. The garden behind the building was laid out in Italian and French style, inspired by the park of the residence at Schönbrunn. The main feature of the garden is the parterre, punctuated by flowerbeds and low-stemmed plants, which houses the large central fountain. Today the area is a public park, directly connected to the gardens of Villa Mirabello, which attracts hundreds of visitors every day who crowd the paths to fully enjoy this beauty. Text / Source: Turismo-in-Lombardia https://www.in-lombardia.it/it/ https://www.in-lombardia.it/it/turismo-in-lombardia/varese-turismo/giardini-di-palazzo-estense

Palazzo Estense in Varese. Giacomo Leopardi was so enchanted by the Estense Castle that he called it "Little Versailles". The palace was built in the second half of the 18th century and served as the residence of Francesco III d'Este, Duke of Modena and Governor of Lombardy. Francesco III had been a guest of the Menafoglio family in Varese in 1755 and was so impressed by the city that he wanted to buy it as a fief, which he did. The Court Palace was built by restoring the villa of Tommaso Orrigoni, demolishing part of the existing houses and significantly modifying the rooms so that they could better accommodate the court and the authorities, while also being the perfect setting for rich and sumptuous parties. The project was entrusted to the architect Giuseppe Antonio Bianchi, who also oversaw the design of the splendid 18th century garden, one of the most beautiful in all of Lombardy. Enter the interior of the palace to admire the decorations with elaborate stuccoes, but above all the beautiful Hall of Honor. The garden, adjacent to that of Villa Mirabello, is surrounded by avenues and flowerbeds Text / Source: Turismo-in-Lombardia https://www.in-lombardia.it/it/ https://www.in-lombardia.it/it/turismo-in-lombardia/varese-turismo/monumenti-varese/palazzo-estense

Palazzo Estense in Varese. The Palazzo Estense dates from the second half of the 18th century and once served as the residence of the governor of Lombardy - Francesco III. The palace existed before, but was completely rebuilt in the 18th century - including the park and garden in the style of the 18th century. The park also leads to Villa Mirabello, another sight in Varese. Text / Source: Italy Inside https://www.italien-inside.info/ https://www.italien-inside.info/orte/lombardi-varese.html